1. Field
This invention pertains to light image generating systems. More particularly, it relates to a light-image generating system incorporating a light-transmitting interactive sculpture associated with a light emitting display pedestal to provide images of the sculpture having varying frequencies, intensities, and colors of the light.
2. Background of the Invention
A number of movie and light shows utilizing a screen projection system are known. All project light images onto a two dimensional screen for viewing. For example, a movie projector produces film images projected onto the screen by an intense light. In planetarium projectors, the lights are electronically controlled and projected directly onto the screen. Although these screen projection systems utilize light and sound, they do not incorporate a three dimensional sculpture diffusing and modifying the light patterns as part of the visual experience.
Various light display systems for sculpture pieces are also known. Typically, modern sculpture display galleries incorporate a fixed pedestal onto which a separate opaque or transparent sculpture piece may be placed and illuminated by at least one direct or indirect light source. Occasionally, the conventional pedestal may rotate to display all angles of the sculpture piece. However, the conventional pedestal is not generally designed to generate secondary images by causing the sculpture piece itself to glow, while projecting secondary light onto and through the integrated sculpture piece to alter the frequency, color reflection, and refraction characteristics of the images. A more elaborate display light sculpture is described in Gersch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,755.
The color organ is an example of a lighting system which alters the frequency and colors of a bank of lights in response to differing musical frequencies. It does not utilize a rotating sculpture piece to alter projected images. This type of lighting system may be incorporated to to diffuse and refract the light through a cover plate defining a symbol to be advertised in response to sound in a manner similar to the sound actuated advertising display described in Young et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,754.
Other transparent sculptures may incorporate an internal light source, transmitting light along internal light carrying channels, such as fiber optical media, to illuminate selected areas of the sculpture. In more conventional variations, the light sculptures are constructed of transparent media to transmit light from the internal light source to function more as a lamp, such as the embodiment described in R. M. Ziegler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,323. These lamp type of sculptures are generally not designed to be externally illuminated to cause a change in the color and type of images projected by the sculptures. Bricker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,035 is an example of a pulsing light pedestal display onto which light conducting members are mounted to receive a pulse of light from a light source. The entire assembly is mounted within an opaque plastic housing. The Bricker device may incorporate a turntable in which is mounted the light source to direct light through a slot to intermittently direct light through the light conducting members. Bricker does not incorporate screens and secondary light sources to create shadows, and secondary images.
Other light systems are used with displays and dioramas to produce still and animated stage and screen scenes, such as those described in Dietlein, U.S. Pat. No. 2,096,884, Rush, U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,115, Solkover, U.S. Pat. No. 2,211,353, Hall, U.S. Pat. No. 2,173,939, Wilfred, U.S. Pat. No. 1,7349,011, Wittstein, U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,544, Sauvage, U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,147, and Reiback, U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,657.
Sited for general interest are: Fleemin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,931, a display device and method to display preserved biological materials, Roegner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,537, a discotheque simulating home entertainment system, and Schultz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,815 describing an illuminated sprinkler.
None of these inventions provides a light-image and manipulating system having a multi-dimensional, mixed media sculpture, light, and sound system employing multiple screens, such as that described below.